Electrical apparatus



May 1, 1934. R. P. LANSING ELECTRICAL APPARATUS Original File May 28.1929 Isnventor Gttorneg III/Illa UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,957,015ELECTRICAL APPARATUS Raymond P. Lansing, Montclair, N. J., assignor toEclipse Machine Company, Elmira Heights, N. Y., a corporation of NewYork Application May 28, 1929, Serial No. 366,757 Renewed December 6,1932 5 Claims. (01. 250--27) This invention relates to electricalapparatus Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section and and moreparticularly to an electrical power syswith parts broken away,illustrating one form of tern adapted for use in radio apparatus.coupling means which may be provided in the One of the objects of theinvention is to progenerator drive of the present invention, and 5 videa novel power system embodying a multi- Fig. 3 is a transverse sectionalView of the cou- 69 current generator adapted to supply the electricalpling means shown in Fig. 2. power required in radio apparatus of thetype The invention embodies a generator which is embodying vacuum tubes.preferably of the direct current four-pole type,

Another object is to provide a novel power syshaving an armature drumcarrying two separate tem comprising a multi-current generator incomwindings, and a commutator at each end therebination with meanswhereby the low voltage end of, the windings being of such a character,when of the generator may be employed under certain the generator isemployed in combination with conditions as a motor to actuate the highvoltradio apparatus, that a high voltage is delivered age end of thegenerator. by one commutator and a low voltage by the A further objectincludes the provision of a other. The low voltage end of the generatoris multi-current generator in combination with diagrammatically shown at4, and the high voltmeans for mechanically driving the generator age endat 5. A shunt field winding 6, which and with means for supplyingcurrent to one comis common to both of the armature windings, is mutatorof the generator whereby the generator employed for excitation of thegenerator field. may be operated as a motor-generator and this The highvoltage end of the generator is adapted without the necessity formanually disconnecting to supply current through suitable leads '7 andthe generator from the mechanical drive. 8 to a substantially constantload 9 such as the A still further object includes the provision oiplate circuit of a radio transmitting set. The a multi-current generatorin combination with low voltage end of the generator is adapted to meansfor actuating one end thereof from two supply current through leads l0and 11 to a power sources, one of said sources being available variableload constituted by a battery 12 and at all times for this purpose.through leads 13 and 14 to a substantially con- In providing radiotransmitting apparatus for stant load 15, such, for example, as thefilament use in aeroplanes, it is not only desirable that circuit of theradio transmitting set. the weight of the apparatus be maintained at aMeans are provided in the output circuit of minimum, but it is furtherdesirable that means, the low voltage end of the generator forconindependent of the aeroplane engine, be provided trolling theelectrical output from both of for actuating the transmitting apparatus,in orthe commutators of the generator. For this der that signals may besent when said engine is purpose a voltage regulator 16 of any suitnotin operation, as when a forced landing has able type, such as thevibrating contact type, is 96 been made, for example. Accordingly, oneof the operatively connected to the field winding 6. objects of thepresent invention is to provide novel Since the details of thisregulator form no part radio transmitting apparatus adapted to be acofthe present invention, and since the constructuated by an aeroplaneengine and also adapted tion and operation of the same are well underforuse in the event that the operation of said stood in the art, nodetailed description of the engine must be discontinued. regulator orits connections is necessary.

The above, and other objects, will appear more Any increase in thevoltage, delivered by the fully hereafter in the detailed description ofthe low voltage end of the generator, due for examinvention, oneembodiment of which is shown in ple to an increase in armature speed, iseffecthe accompanying drawing. It is to be undertively controlled byregulator 16, but since the 100 stood, however, that the drawing is forpurposes Output Circuit 0f the low VOltage end of the g of illustrationonly and is not designed as a defieratol includes a battery to beCharged. the gnition of the limits of the invention, references beulatol16 may not be entirely fi t ve to COD- m had for t purpose t t appendedmu trol the current output in said circuit due to the 50 Referring tothe drawing, wherein like refervariation in load resulting m a han n theence characters refer to like parts throughout state of charge of thebattery. It will therefore the several views: be apparent that eventhough the voltage in coil Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the elements6 be maintained constant, the field flux of said included in the novelcombination of the present coil will vary if the flow of current to thebat- 55 invention. tery varies, and hence, the voltage delivered by thehigh voltage end of the generator will vary.

In many installations the battery load is such a small percentage of thetotal low voltage load that the variations in field flux due tovariations in current flow to the battery will not result in undesirablechanges in the output of the high voltage end of the generator, but inthe event that these changes are objectionable, a current regulator ofany suitable type may be provided in the output circuit of the lowvoltage end of the generator. The current regulator will coact with thevoltage regulator to maintain the field flux constant, whereby thevoltages delivered at the opposite ends of the generator are maintainedconstant at all times.

Where a current regulator is desirable, it preferably comprises a pairof contacts, 17 and 18, the contact 17 being carried by a pivoted arm 19and being normally maintained in engagement with contact 18 by means ofa resilient member 20. An electro-magnet embodying a core 21 and a coil22, is positioned adjacent arm 19 and when energized said magnet opposesthe action of spring 20 and opens contacts 17 and 18 in the event thatthe output in the low voltage end of l the generator exceeds apre-determined amount.

Coil 22 is connected through leads 23 and 10 to the positive side of thelow voltage end of the generator, and is also in circuit through lead 24and arm 19 with contacts 17 and 18. The latter is connected through acutout switch 25 and lead 26 with the positive side of battery 12 andwith the lamps 27, the return circuit for the battery and lamps beingindicated at 28. In parallel with contacts 17 and 18 is a controlresistance 29, and, if desired, a resistance 30 may be placed in serieswith contact 18 to reduce the amount of current flowing through thecontacts when the same are closed. Lead 26 is connected through a lead31 and switch 32 with the lead 10 and the positive side of the lowvoltage end of the generator.

In operation, the high voltage output winding of the generator delivers400 volts, for example, to the plate circuit 9. The low voltage outputwinding of the generator delivers, for example, 2 amperes at 15 voltsfor charging battery 12 and 4 amperes at 10 volts to the filamentcircuit 15, suitable resistances or other means being provided asdesired to secure this output in the low voltage end.

In aircraft installations, the generator will be driven by an internalcombustion engine, and as the speed of said engine varies, speed of thearmature of the generator will vary. The change in voltage produced bythe change in speed of the armature is effectively controlled by thecoaction of the current regulator and the voltage regulator, and radiosignals can be effectively transmitted under these conditions.

In installations heretofore provided the driving connection between theinternal combustion engine and the generator shaft has rendered itimpossible to employ the generator for transmitting signals when theengine is not in operation. In accordance with the present invention, aoneway driving connection is provided between the engine and thearmature shaft of the generator and when the engine is not in operation,battery 12 may be employed to supply the filament current and to drivethe low voltage end of the generator, which now serves as a motor,whereby the high voltage end will be actuated to supply the platecurrent and signals can be effectively transmitted.

As shown, the armature shaft 33 (Fig. 2) is provided with a one-wayclutch 34 for establishing a driving connection with an engine drivenshaft 35. Preferably the clutch is of the roller type embodying aplurality of cylindrical rollers 36, which are yieldingly wedged betweenthe inner and outer elements 37 and 38 respectively, of the clutch,whereby motion is transmitted from shaft 35 to the armature shaft. Inthe event that the outer clutch member 38 is held against movedirectiondue to the movement of cylinders the inclined recesses provided in theinner clutch member 37. Accordingly, battery 12 may be employed to drivethe low voltage end of the gen orator, which latter is now operated as amotorgenerator, whereby the high voltage end of the generator iseffective to supply current to the plate circuit of the transmittingset. Preferably the lead 31 is employed to bypass the current regulatorand cutout switch in the battery charging circuit. By closing the switch32, battery 12 is connected directly across leads 1e and 11 to drive thelow voltage end 4, and to supply current to the filament circuit 15through leads l3 and 14.

The use of the present invention effects a large saving in weight overinstallations of the character heretofore provided, wherein anelectrical motor has high and low voltage ends of agenerator, the motorbeing driven by a battery. This saving in weight, and the attendantsaving in cost, is of prime importance in aeroplane installations.Signals can be sent after a forced landing has been made and theoperation of the engine has been discontinued, and this feature is ofgreat importance, particularly since this result is secured without anincrease in weight of the apparatus. While the invention has beenparticularly described in connection with radio transmitting apparatusfor aeroplanes, it will be understood by those skilled in the art thatthe novel apparatus herein set forth is capable of a wide variety ofuses, and that various changes may be made in the arrangement of theelements thereof. The terms high and low voltage ends have been used tofacilitate description, and where desired the generator may be soconstructed that the output windings will deliver current atsubstantially equal voltages. Switch means of suitable type are to beprovided as desired in the various output circuits. In certaininstallations the voltage control means may lm unnecessary, and inothers the current regulator may be eliminated. Moreover, either end ofthe generator may be employed as a motor to drive the other end byproviding suitable leads and switches from the battery to said ends.Reference, therefore, will be had to the appended claims for adefinition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a generator having two output windings, meansincluding one-way clutch means for driving said generator, circuitsconnected to each of said windings, means in one of said circuits forcontrolling the voltage outputs battery in the last menas amotor-generator by driving means is not in operation.

2. In radio apparatus, a generator having a plurality of outputwindings, means including a one-way clutch for driving said generator,means including a radio circuit connected to one of the windings of thegenerator, means including a battery and a second radio circuitconnected to another of the windings of the generator, said batterybeing adapted to be charged during normal operation of the generator andadapted to actuate the generator as a motor-generator when thefirst-named means is not in operation, and voltage control means incircuit with one of said output windings for controlling the voltage ofsaid plurality of output windings.

3. The combination with an internal combustion engine, of a multi-wounddirect current generator having a high voltage end and a, low voltageend, means including a one-way clutch for drivably connecting saidengine to said generator, a substantially constant load circuitconnected to the high voltage end of the generator, a circuit includinga battery to be charged and a substantially constant load connected tothe low voltage end of the generator, and means in said last mentionedcircuit for controlling the voltage output of both ends of thegenerator, said battery being adapted to operate the low voltage end ofthe generator as a motor to actuate the high voltage end of saidgenerator when the engine is not in operation.

4. The combination with an internal combustion engine, of a multi-wounddirect current generator having a high voltage end and a low voltageend, means including a one-way clutch for drivably connecting saidengine to said generator, voltage regulating means for said generator, asubstantially constant load connected to the high voltage end of saidgenerator, a circuit connected to the low voltage end of said generatorand including current regulating means and a battery to be charged, andmeans including a shunt for said current regulating means whereby saidbattery may operate the low voltage end of said generator as a motor toactuate the high voltage end of said generator.

5. In an electrical load supply system for use on vehicles, incombination with a dynamo electric machine having an output winding ofrelatively high voltage current, and a second output winding ofrelatively low voltage current, a battery adapted to operate saidmachine through energization of said low voltage Winding, a load incircuit with said high voltage output Winding, and means for rechargingsaid battery through operation of said motor generator while acting as-agenerator only, said means including a mechanical connection which isoperative only while the power plant of the vehicle is in operation.

RAYMOND P. LANSING.

